ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605160170
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH
SOURCE: ANGELITA PLEMMER LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
note: below
THE JUDGE SAID Mary Watson's children had to make good grades, or she'd serve a long prison term.
Making the honor roll means more to Mary Watson's four children than to most school kids. They know that if they don't study hard and keep their grades up, mom will go to prison.
Circuit Judge Johnny Morrison found Watson guilty on a drug charge and sentenced her to 40 years in prison, then suspended the sentence and placed her on 15 years' probation in July 1992.
But there was an unusual condition: If her children didn't maintain an average of C or better in school, Watson's probation would be revoked.
Four years and many report cards later, the Watson children, ages 7 through 14, have not let Mom down.
Digging deep into her pocketbook, Watson, an 11th-grade dropout, proudly pulled out several crumpled paper printouts - her kids' report cards.
One of them, 8-year-old Tonuika's, was lined with six A's and five S's (for satisfactory work). A second-grader, she has A's in language arts, math, reading, science, spelling and social studies.
``If I don't keep nothing else, I try to keep these,'' Mary Watson, 30, said as she handed the report cards to a reporter.
Ray, 7, is the youngest. ``He made the honor roll,'' Watson said proudly.
A first-grader at Highland Biltmore Elementary, Ray said social studies, art and music were his favorite classes. Like Tonuika, he wants to become a lawyer.
Tonuika shared a few of the secrets that led to her academic success.
``All you have to do is listen to the teacher, raise your hand and ask the teacher a question,'' Tonuika instructed a reporter. ``But most importantly, respect the teacher.''
``I tried to be as smart as I could,'' she said. ``And I also have good manners.''
Donte, 14, said he tried not to think about how his grades could affect his mother's sentence.
``I knew I could do it,'' Donte said. ``I've been doing it.''
A history buff, Donte boasts a B in history, and has earned A's, B's and C's throughout the year. His report card shows nothing lower than a C.
``I like learning about the past,'' the Cradock Middle School seventh-grader said, citing his fascination with World War II.
Shalonta, 13, who remembers the media attention surrounding his mother's trial, said he doesn't think about her sentence but recalled a promise he made when she came home.
``We know what we have to do for you to stay home, so we're going to do it,'' he told her.
Shalonta, who is learning-disabled and takes medication for hyperactivity, made two F's during the last grading period - forcing his grade point average below a C. However, Shalonta said he is quickly raising them to maintain a C average.
Sitting with all four children in the living room of their modest house in Fairwood Homes, Mary Watson reflected during a recent interview on the unusual case. ``I think it put a lot of stress on my kids, because they thought if it would fail, they thought they would lose their mama,'' she said.
During the afternoon of Oct. 8, 1991, Watson and three children had just walked into their Elliott Avenue home with bags of groceries. Watson went to the bedroom looking for her estranged husband, Eddie, who said he had stopped by to pick up some of his belongings. With him was a friend from New York, Mary Watson said.
She said she found them with an electronic scale and several hard, wet rocks of crack cocaine on paper towels drying in front of an electric fan on her dresser.
``My children were there, and I didn't like that,'' Watson said. She and her husband began to argue.
Their fighting was interrupted by a loud noise and her sister-in-law's screams in the living room.
``The police just kicked the door open,'' she said. ``I was scared. I didn't know what would happen.''
The bedroom door flew open, she said, and she was blinded by bright lights.
``My kids were screaming and crying,'' she said. ``It was a mess. I think that was the scariest experience I'd ever had in my life. I was worried about what kind of effect this would have on my kids.''
Police found a kilo of cocaine, valued at more than $25,000. Police arrested her husband and the New York dealer, Davilo Stoute. Both were later convicted. Eddie Watson was sentenced to 40 years, with 20 years suspended.
Midway through Mary Watson's jury trial, she pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm. It was a conditional plea that left her the option of appealing.
``I had no idea they were doing [drugs], but because they were there ... it was like [I] gave them permission to do this,'' Watson said during the interview. ``It was my house and my name was on the lease.''
Morrison, after accepting her guilty plea, gave her the maximum sentence for her crimes, amended by what he calls ``creative sentencing.''
``It's easy to just close your eyes and not take anything into consideration except the defendant,'' Morrison said in a recent interview. ``By crafting that type of sentence, not only could we do what was best for the community, but what was best for those kids.''
``I felt her role was somewhat peripheral,'' the judge said. ``She was somewhat caught in the middle.''
However, Morrison's sentence sparked enormous criticism and public debate. Critics asked if Morrison sentenced the mother or the children. Others questioned if the amount of pressure placed on Watson's children was too great. Some wondered if teachers would be hard-pressed to give the children passing grades because they didn't want the responsibility of sending their mother to jail.
``Sometimes decisions are hard,'' Morrison said. ``And sometimes decisions are not popular.''
Morrison said he never doubted his decision and is happy that Watson and her family are making progress.
And in spite of Shalonta's two failing grades, Morrison said he must also consider factors such as the boy's learning disability and his effort to pass in the special education classes.
Morrison received a March 8 letter from Rufus Bell, deputy chief probation and parole officer, updating him on Watson's children. Bell checks on Watson once a month and sends Morrison periodic updates.
Bell wrote: ``All of the children are in school and all are averaging a C or better. This is just to keep you informed that Ms. Watson and children are being tracked and we will continue to monitor the school situation very closely.''
Bell said he could not comment, citing office policies that prohibited him from providing information about his clients.
However, Morrison said, ``The probation officer was so happy that after so many years, they're doing fine. All we want is for Ms. Watson to do her best.''
Watson is two points away from obtaining her GED. She has worked as a shipyard laborer and is now looking for a new job. The family is receiving Aid to Dependent Children.
She says she is active in her children's lives.
``Anything the kids have to do, I participate in it,'' Watson said. ``[Judge Morrison] wanted me to pay more attention to my kids and make sure they get a good education.''
``He's a good judge because I know what he did for me and my family,'' she said. ``I think I have been an inspiration on my kids and they have been an inspiration for me.''
LENGTH: Long : 140 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: MARK MITCHELL/Landmark News Service Mary Watson andby CNBher children, (from left) Shalonta, 13; Tonuika, 8; Ray, 7, and
Donte, 14. color